Member Reviews
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this brilliant novel
where has this author been all my life...
this book kept me on the edge of my seat, there are moments in this book that are a bit uncomfortable and then there are times where you are rushing to read to see what happens next....it has quite a bit of action all the way through...
a kidnapped boy
one witness
wow never saw any of the action coming...
keep an eye out for more of this authors works, she is amazing
When 6 year old Marcus is kidnapped from his street on Halloween, there is only one witness. A teenager, terrified to come forward as he shouldn’t have been there himself.
With an anonymous tip off, DS Imogen Grace heads to the scene, only to be told by Marcus’ parents that he isn’t missing. Grey knows there’s more to the story than meets the eye, but how much more she couldn’t imagine…
With her personal life clouding her judgement, can DS Grey follow her gut to bring the little boy home safe and sound?
I always highly anticipate books in this series, although there were a couple that didn’t quite hit the target for me, I love reading about these characters. The crime in this instalment is intriguing however I wound’t say it had me gripped like some of it’s predecessors.
I found this story to be more focussed on the personal lives of Grey and Miles. Whilst I didn’t enjoy this previously, I think it served the story well to convey the aftermath of the incident that took place in the last book.
What I love most about Diamond’s storytelling is the way she weaves so many threads together and there’s always another possible story bubbling away in the background. Characters from previous books often make reappearances to aid the currently plot and we are shown glimpses of their development too. No spoilers here, but this one sees the return of an oldie but goody, and my particular favourite side character of the whole series!
I would highly recommend this series, and I do…frequently. This was a really great read, and once again I burnt through the pages rather than savouring them. So, now begins the long wait for part eight! However, I’ve seen a few reviews where this was read as a standalone, but I don’t think you can delve in anywhere. This is a must from the very beginning, to really get to know the characters and understand their motives. I’m very jealous of any crime fans that haven’t read these yet, as you now get to read all seven in a row and introduce yourselves to the wonderful Miley and Grey!
Average crime thriller but with some clever and original differences. I thought a lot of the characters were rather a cliche but the author kept a good pace throughout so you always wanted to know who done it and why!
Six year old Marcus being kidnapped when he played in front of his house. Jason, who was at the same time ransacked his ex girlfriend house accidentally watching the kidnapping and taking the photo of the white van and two men. He rang the police and gave a tip off about this kidnapping.
DC Imogen takes this kidnapping case and determined to get Marcus back. At the same time, she has a relationship problem with her boyfriend, Adrian Miles, and things get harder when Adrian becomes a suspect of a murder case.
I didn't realise this book is the seventh in the series of DC Imogen, so eventhough this is a standalone novel, I can feel that I missed a few things about the characters. The storyline itself is great with a few unexpected surprises which made this book is still recommendable.
I am completely stunned right now. I have not read any of the other books in this series......yet. By the time I was 5% into this book I knew I absolutely want to start from the beginning. Imogen and Adrian both sucked me in entirely. You don't need to read the other books in the series to enjoy this one, all the major past events that tie into this tale are expertly explained so you are caught up to date.
This story is relentless. It is a police procedural type story with gritty action. All the elements of the story are tightly woven together and the conclusion is amazing! The last line of the story, once you think everything is settled, as far as the main story line goes, there is that final sentence. I actually gasped when I read it. At least I have 6 other books in this series that I can go to while waiting for book 8. Anyone who is already a fan of this series will just have to wait.
Thank you to Avon UK and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this adrenaline charged e-ARC.
I loved the book which is an easy read. It is a stand alone book feature DI Imogen again.
The story is of a 6 year old who is kidnapped at Halloween. The chapters are quick to read and the main plot is to find the kidnapper. It is more detective than thriller but it is another exciting read from Diamond again. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.
Well this was definitely a treat of a book. I've dipped in and out of the Imogen Grey series of books, I don't religiously read them in the correct order, what a rebel, but this really doesn't mean a great deal as they read so well as stand alone. It was good to see some familiar faces from Imogen's past and this was so much for than the usual fast paced murder mystery theme, particularly with Adrian's ordeal. My heart broke for him and gave his character extra dimension. If you already loved the Grey series then you will be hooked in an instant, if you're new to the Grey series...enjoy the ride. You're welcome.
Thank you @netgalley for the ARC of Trick Or Treat in return for an honest review. It's out on 14th October 2021.
I have read the other books in this series so I was delighted to be given a chance to read this new book .I wasn't disappointed ,what a fabulous rollercoaster ,DS Imogen Grey is back on form and when a child is kidnapped on Halloween, her and her team are on it ,but this story is so much more ,the characters are so well crafted ,the story is gripping ,there are a few storylines going on which are so cleverly woven together to make another brilliant read in this series .I look forward to the next book in the series . Five stars seems hardly enough !Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review .
I received a digital review copy of this book in advance of publication in exchange for an honest review.
I'll caveat my review with the fact that I did not know this was the seventh book in the series before reading it, and didn't figure that out until I was a good chunk into it.
Trick or Treat is a procedural novel set in London. To be honest, at first I was a bit lost - the characters all seemed to know each other, but none of the world building was happening in book, so I thought I missing something. After the first few chapters I did some research and realized it was part of a series, I reset my expectations and treated it more like dipping into an existing TV show.
Once I reset, I was able to enjoy the book - it's a solid procedural about some relatively disturbing topics (child abduction, sexual assault). While I figured out the "who" pretty early on, I enjoyed figuring out the "why" along with DS Grey & her colleagues.
Kidnap, murder, ransom - it’s all in this fast moving story. It makes for compelling reading as, at each turn of the page, the tension is heightened! Will the police solve the mystery and find the kidnapped boy before it’s too late?
I couldn’t put it down. The author handled sensitive topics really well and the anguish of the major characters is palpable. This book will have you on the edge of your seat with an ending that just leaves you wondering.
I adore this series, and this is again another excellent instalment. This case is complicated; there are multiple strands in the plot, and you're riveted and drawn to the pages to figure out how or if they're connected. One plot is particularly gripping and emotional; it involves great trauma and suffering, and this character is dealing with it alone.
This has got to be the best book of the year for me.
It is stunningly brilliant. Every chapter was an absolute delight to read.
It is full of more twists and turns than the best ever rollercoaster, with an epic ending.
Drama and intrigue around every corner, this book did not disappoint.
Highly recommended
OMG I absolutely loved this book.
It has drama, suspense, intrigue and a whole lot of excitement.
It is part of a series but can easily be read as a stand-alone and I know as I have only read book one and two. After this book I am most definitely going to get my reading mojo on and catch up.
This book is up there with the best of this year. It is epic.
Highly recommended 5 stars from me.
Trick or Treat is fantastic. It is part of a series of books. I haven't read the previous ones (although I will now), but this was easy to read as a standalone tale. It kept me intrigued all the way through with plenty of twists and turns and it kept me guessing right to the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my ARC.
Another great book by Katerina Diamond.
This story is part of a series, but if you not read the others it really does not matter, though I have read them all.
On Halloween a little boy is kidnapped, who kidnapped him and why.
A really exciting story to find the boy and get the kidnapper.
Yes here’s to the next book in this series.
Absolutely brilliant and captivated my attention from start to finish. This is a fast paced and intricate storyline with many different aspects such as kidnap of a child with a ransom demand and identity theft polygamy and related deceptions. I have read the previous books in the series and enjoyed the way the one referred back to previous parts of the story but these were explained well, without feeling like repetition, so I think you could equally enjoy this as a stand-alone.
The main characters are well developed and very likeable and have their own vulnerabilities which makes them feel very real and I was rooting for them to get a good outcome. I would definitely recommend this book.
I did not realise this was part of a series. I had an inkling once I started reading but I have to say it worked perfectly as a standalone.
A brilliant, gripping read that is more complex than it first appears. Marcus is 6 and out cycling on his new bike when he is abducted. Thankfully someone witnesses the abduction and calls it in. What follows is an increasingly complex web of deceit.
Imogen is leading on the abduction case but is not expecting her boyfriend to come to light as a suspect! Imogen will finally get some answers about Adrian’s weird mood for the last year.
A great book on its own and I think it would be even better read as part of a series.
This is my first Diamond novel, but it certainly will not be my last! I was ready for a catch-the-kidnapper tale with a touch of Halloween vibes, and this book did not disappoint. A child is kidnapped, a ransom is demanded, and a mystery ensues. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for a copy of this book for an honest review.
First of all, I had no idea that this was part of an ongoing series so my opinions of this book are based on it as a standalone. As such, I might have felt differently about certain things had I read the previous books in the series beforehand. With that said, it did stand alone really well. I didn’t feel like it lacked anything. However, I did feel like it was overly heavy on the dialogue which didn’t really work for me.
Even though that one area stood out to me as something I disliked, there were a lot of positives. Firstly, the plot is deeply compelling. There’s enough mystery and suspense to keep you invested from start to finish. It was an interesting police procedural and quite frankly, very dark at times. And I really enjoyed how complicated and despicable the “bad guy” was. Nothing about this case was plain and simple or in any way obvious so I didn’t have the same reading mindset that I normally have while reading mystery/thrillers.
One other thing that I wanted to add is that even though the child abduction case is central to the story, it does deviate quite quickly. As such, it might appeal to readers who would normally avoid stories involving harm to children. And likewise, it might appeal less to readers looking for a twisty child abduction thriller.
So this is a direct follow on in story from the last book in the series. We are a year in the future, but the repercussions from what happened back then are still unfolding.
Unfortunately, I read this back in October 2019 (two years ago now), and I don’t have the best memory, so I did find it hard to get back into the story. I remembered what had happened to Aiden quite quickly as that is something you just don’t forget, but it took me a little longer to remember the circumstances surrounding his attack and who all the other characters were. So, this definitely can’t be read as a stand-alone book and needs to be read as part of the series.
It was a fantastic read, though, once I’d got all my ducks in a row and remembered everything. The way the story weaves lots of different aspects throughout it and brings it all together at the end was cleverly done.
The ‘baddie’ was certainly machiavellian and very interesting. It was great when he became pretty blazon about his endeavours and really gave Imogen a run for her money.
The storyline as a whole was exciting and kept me captivated. One night I’d put the book down to go to sleep but had to pick it up again just to read a little more! It really gripped me. All of the characters were likeable (except Jarvis, but I don’t think he’s supposed to be!) and you feel really invested in what is going on.
I can’t wait for the next instalment of this series; I just hope I don’t have to wait another two years!